Melba Moore (born October 29, 1945) is an American singer, actress, voice actress and entertainer. Moore is the daughter of saxophonist Teddy Hill and R&B singer Bonnie Davis.
In 1975 Moore signed with Buddah Records….and released the critically successful R&B album, Peach Melba, which included the minor hit, “I Am His Lady”. The following year she scored her first significant hit with the Van McCoy-penned “This Is It”….which reached the Billboard Hot 100, the top-20 position on the R&B chart and top-10 in the UK….and thus becoming her biggest success in that country. ‘This is It’ also became the # 1 disco track in the UK for that year.
In 1976 Melba Moore scored her 3rd Grammy nomination with the R&B ballad “Lean on Me”….which had been recorded originally by Vivian Reed and later by Moore’s idol Aretha Franklin….who recorded the song as a B-side to her 1971 hit “Spanish Harlem”. The song is most notable for Moore’s extended long note at the end….which she replicates in this 1985 rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the start of Game 2 of the 1985 MLB World Series between the Royals verses the Cardinals….as seen in this video herewith.
Moore’s hit ‘Pick me up I’ll dance’ released in May 1979 did have considerable UK disco success….after reaching # 48 on the UK chart….along with a further hit that same year with a cover version of the Bee Gees’ hit “You Stepped Into My Life“….which reached the top 20 on the R&B charts and # 47 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1981 Moore signed with Capitol Records and reached the top 5 on the R&B charts with the dance-pop/funk single “Love’s Comin’ At Ya”….which also hit the top 20 in the UK….and became a sizable hit in some European countries for its post-disco sound…. then followed by “Mind Up Tonight”….which was another top 40 hit in the UK reaching # 22. A string of R&B hits followed, including “Keepin’ My Lover Satisfied” and “Love Me Right” in 1983….“Livin’ For Your Love” in 1984…..and “Read My Lips” in 1985….which later won Moore a 4th Grammy nomination for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance….thus making her just the 3rd black artist after Donna Summer and Michael Jackson to be nominated in the rock category.
In 1986, she scored two # 1 R&B hits….including the duet “A Little Bit More” with Freddie Jackson…. and “Falling”…..then she scored other popular R&B hits including “Love the One I’m With (A Lot of Love)“ and “It’s Been So Long”. In 1986, Moore also headlined the CBS television sitcom Melba….with its debut being aired the same night as the NASA Challenger explosion….and the show was abruptly cancelled….although five episodes aired that summer. Her success began to wane as the decade closed, although she managed two further Top 10 R&B hits, “Do You Really (Want My Love)” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”.
